2. Indus Civilization

2. INDUS CIVILIZATION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Many cultures came together that makes Indus valley civilization. In 1921, Harappa discovered by R.B. Dayaram. In 1922, Mohenjo-Daro discovered by R.D. Banerjee. Harappa civilization forms part of Proto history of India and belongs to the Bronze Age. Copper, bronze, silver, gold were known but not iron. Indus valley civilization also called Harappa civilization and Bronze Age civilization. Duration of Indus civilization. Beginning - 2750 BC Mature - 2550 BC Decline - 1750 BC Most of the sites have been found at the HakraGhaggar River. Indus civilization script was pictographic. Mediterranean, Proto-Australoid, Mongoloids and Alpines formed the bulk of the population, though the first two were more numerous. Mohenjo-Daro means Mound of the Dead. GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT Covered part of Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Gujarat, Rajasthan and some part of western UP. Maximum site is confined to river Saraswati (Ghaggar, Hakra). Area of Indus valley seems as Triangle. Area of Indus valley 12,9960 sq.km. EXTENT OF INDUS CIVILIZATION The settlements of sutkagendor on the Makren coast (Pak-Iran Border) represented western Boundaries. Alamgirpur in UP-Eastern Boundary. Manda in Jammu of Daimabad in Maharashtra is the southern frontier of Harappan civilization. Recent excavation in Rajasthan has revealed a 4000 year old village settlement of Chalcolithic age at Balathal, near Udaipur. North : Manda (J&k) near Chenab River West : Sutkangendor (Baluchistan) Pakistan Daskk River 4 • • • • • • • • • • East : Alamgirpur (western UP) river Hindan Soutth : Daimabad (Maharashtra) Pravara River TOWN PLANNING AND STRUCTURE Town planning was not uniform. Common feature was grid system. Towns were divided into two part upper part or citadel and lower part. The fortifield citadel on the western side housed public buildings and members of ruling class. Below the citadel on the eastern side lay the lower town inhabited by the common people. Elaborate town planning. It followed the Grid system. Roads were well cut, dividing the town into large rectangular or square blocks. Lamp posts at intervals indicate the existence of street lightning. Used burnt bricks of good quality as the building material. Elsewhere in the contemporary world, mud-bricks were used Houses followed the grid system. Road made 900 angle to each other. Burnt bricks in the ratio of 4:2:1. Indus valley people famous for good drainage system and also for methods of upper and lower town. Drain were made of morter, lime and gypsum and covered with large bricks slabs for easy cleaning. In drains, they made soak pit for deposition of garbage. In Mohenjo-Daro largest building is granary and in citadel of Harappa, we find as many as six granaries. Playground was also found. Excavations and Excavators Chanhudaro On Indus 1931 M.G. Mazumdar Sutkagendor On Dasak 1927 Sir Aurel stein Kot Diji On Indus 1955 Fazl Ahmed khan Ropar On Sutlej 1953 Y.D. sharma Banawali On Saraswati 1973 R.S. Bhisht Lothal 1954 Rangpur 1931-53 Rao Amri 1929 Kalibangan 1961 Surkotada 1964 Alamgirpur 1958 • • • • • • • • • • • On Bhogwa S.R. Rao On Mahar M.S. Vats, B.B. Lal, S.R. On Indus M.G. Mazumdar On Ghaggar B.B. Lal J. Joshi On Hindan Y. D. Sharma RELIGIOUS LIFE OF HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION They worshipped Mother Goddess but in lower class and in upper class, worshipped Pashupati Shiva. They worshipped trees and animal. • Snake • Bull (humped) (found mostly) • Dove • Peepal • Unicorn (Most sacred Animal) They were also worshipped Phallus (Ling puja) They worshipped proto type of Shiva (Found seal from Mohenjo-Daro) They also worshipped water, Sapatrishi, Angels etc. They believed in charms and spells, found amulets in excavation. Yoga practice also done by them. At kalibangan and lothal fire altars have been found. TRADE, TECHNOLOGY, ART AND CRAFT AND SEALS They used bronze (copper : Tin , 9:1) They bring copper from khetri in Rajasthan, Tin from Afghanistan, Iron (Badaksha). They framed seals from steatite. These seals used as stamps not money. Maximum no. of seals are square in shape. This is pictographic in language. They used these seals as “Emblem”. Seals are also in shape of triangle 5 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • and rectangular. They didn’t use metal money. Probably, they traded through barter system. They established trading relationship with Mesopotamia, we know that this through Greek source. AGRICULTURE They produced wheat and barley. They practiced agriculture. Evidence received from kalibangan. Probably they used wooden furrow. Ploughed field found in Kalibangan. Indus people were the first people who produced cotton because cotton was first produced in this area by Greeks called SINDOM. DECLINE OF INDUS VALLEY (1750 BC) Harappan culture lasted for around 1000yrs. Aryan Invasion but it’s a myth. Earthquakes was cause of Indus valley and (Best cause) Recurrent floods IMPORTANT HARAPPAN SITES Mohenjo-Daro Great Bath (most imp. public place of the city). A large granary (the largest building of MohenjoDaro),Bronze dancing girl, a bearded man, a seal with a picture suggesting Pashupati Mahadev, a piece woven cotton along with spindle whorls and needles, a college, multi-pillared assembly hall. HarapPa Two rows of six granaries with brick platform, 12 granaries together had the same areas as great granary at Mohenjo-Daro. Evidence of coffin burial and cemetery “H” culture. A red sandstorm male torso Stone symbols of female genitals. Idol of Natraj Kalibangan Ploughed field 7 fire alters Lothal An artificial dockyard. Evidence of hose from doubtful terracotta figurine. Fire alters • • • • • • • • • It is known as Manchester of Harappan civilization for its cotton trade. Ropar First site to be excavated after independent. Evidence of burying a dog with the human burials in very intensely. Chanhudaro Ikkas of Bronze Imprint of dog’s paw on a brick. Footprints of dog and cat. Surkotda Both citadel and lower town were fortified with stone wall. It provides the first actual remains of horse bones. Dholavira Giant Reservoirs 6 • • • • • • • 10-alphabet sign board Megalith burial Evidences of irrigation, dams and embankments. Suktagendor It was originally a sea port which later cut off from the sea due to coastal uplift. Amri Pre-Harappan settlement that gives the impression of existence of transitional cultural between Pre and Post Harappan culture. Daimabad Bronze images of Charioteer with chariot, ox, elephant and rhinoceros are excavated from here. Kot Diji It was Pre-Harappan fortified settlement with largest number of stone implements and stone arrow heads.